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Would you trade up for a longer commute?

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I'm not sure if I can say you're crazy or not, because I do it every day.

I live 115 miles from my office so I have a 230 mile daily commute. My P85+ "could" barely make it as long as I'm paying attention. Fortunately I have charging in a garage downtown and it's not an issue.

Between traffic and covering that many miles each way, I spend almost 2 hours EACH WAY in the car. Therefore the car and its amenities are very important to me.

Is it doable? Absolutely, I do it every day.

Does it make sense? In my case, I did it to take a job I wanted and not uproot my wife and kids from the rest of our (large) family. So if the rationale makes sense to you, then yes.

Does Tesla make this type of commute more possible? Absolutely. I've driven a couple of other cars over the past five years and each has had its own level of maintenance and expense associated with it. In the end, this is one of the more "reasonable" total costs of commuting that distance. At my distance, I could argue a CPO Model S can "cost" less than a new Honda Civic with gas and maintenance costs.

Now, add the value of having a home in a remote location that allows you to get away from the city, it's very feasible.

I will say that I have a slew of Podcasts and Audible that now allow me to catch up on news and "reading" that I wouldn't do otherwise. Since I don't watch any TV otherwise, those driving hours are time for me to do conference calls and get outside news and entertainment.

My only downside? The post noted above... I drive into the rising sun in the morning and into the setting sun in the afternoon. It's worse certain times/seasons than others, but it's the only factor I can't change that I wish I could.
 
Oh, you poor, poor people.

Our daily commute is anywhere from 5 feet to 200 feet. BUT with that we also get to walk between 5 and 8 miles each and every day in our work. And that's 7 days a week.

And live in one of the world's most jaw-dropping scenic locations. &c &c &c

And put in a year's-worth of man-hours' labor in some 4-5 months....meaning if we so choose (and have so chosen for the past three years), we can "vacation" each year for 5-6 months.

So: is having limited bandwidth too much of a negative that it outweighs all those positives? You tell me.

You poor, poor people.
 
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Just to add in on the discussion -- I love being close to work, but I currently live about 120 miles from my office. It's crazy. But it's tolerable because I get to work from home half the time, which is awesome. I still tire of the drives, but I can live with it. It is better since I got my Model S.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of trade offs in life, and it's never ideal. I have my current situation because of where family is, and despite the totally ridiculous commute, it's a great job that has the kind of flexibility I need. Commute distance took a back seat to those other things.

You need to figure out what kind of commute you can live with. In my case, it's close to a 2 hour drive each way, almost 4 hours round trip. I've done this for periods of time 3 times a week, 2 times a week, and 1 time a week. For me, 3 times a week was unsustainable. 2 times a week royally sucks, but is sustainable. 1 time a week seems reasonable, and that's what I currently do (with overnight stay near office, so I'm in office more than 1 day a week, but only make the round trip once).

I can understand wanting to leave the city because housing is cheaper. I've seen properties in cities that go for unbelievable prices, and I can't figure out how anyone could ever live there, or even want to. Million dollar homes that would go for under $100K in the MidWest. I would so move, get into a much nicer $200K house in the country or in the MidWest, and bank the extra $800K.
 
Hi All. I've lived in the city all my life and my career is here. But I've always wanted to live in the country and lately I'm getting really tired of the city. The long commutes have always been the detractor. Right now, the price delta between a house in the city and one in the country is huge here - I could essentially trade my house in the city for a house in the country and a Model S. I've been thinking about this for a while.

I wanted to get owners thoughts on this. I dislike commuting. However, even living in the city my commute is realistically 30 to 40 minutes a day. I'm thinking about bumping it up to an hour to hour and a half. This hinges on being able to convince my boss that I can do 5 days of work in 4 long days - which I'm optimistic about.

I figure if I'm going to be spending 3, sometimes 4 hours in the car a day (traffic) I want to be in the nicest and safest car I can be in. Also: autopilot.

Am I overestimating how much grief autopilot will save me for long daily highway commutes?

The picture I have in my mind is inhaling audio-books 4 days a week while I'm in the car, working long days and getting three days of bliss at home with the family every weekend. I get a lot of vacation time and being further north also puts me closer to our favourite recreational areas.

Am I crazy?
I would essentially be trading a tiny house in the city and subway commutes for a large, luxurious house in the country, a Model S and a really long commute.

It kind of doesn't seem crazy to me, but then why isn't everyone doing it? :)
Did you take into consideration in your math that the $80k+ model S will last likely 5 - 6 years with your long commute?
 
We moved to the big house grassy yard, burbs and a 60 mile commute each way. It was blissful at first but it eventually drained us. Racing home for school events, team practices, recitals, special occasions etc. Its ultimately a rush job, full of excuses and apologies.

Sure, you might be cozy in your Tesla but the family time is burnt regardless of what you are driving, For us, happiness for a car is far from a fair trade. The family suffered no matter how biased our rationalizations were. Several years later, we moved back and have never been happier.
 
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My current commute is ~70-80mi roundtrip and takes right at about two hours a day in traffic. I do it 3-4 times a week, depending on my calendar with 1-2 days a week WFH, and one to two weeks a month "on the road" where the car sits at the airport.

I'm two weeks in to the commute with with AP, and it really is a marked difference in level of fatigue. It was hard to appreciate given that I've been doing this type of a commute for over 5 years, and I actually like to drive - so it never bothered me much. That said, going back to something without AP would be very, very difficult. To call it a "game changer" really under-appreciates just how much driver fatigue it avoids.

MB
 
Oh, you poor, poor people.

Our daily commute is anywhere from 5 feet to 200 feet. BUT with that we also get to walk between 5 and 8 miles each and every day in our work. And that's 7 days a week.

And live in one of the world's most jaw-dropping scenic locations. &c &c &c

And put in a year's-worth of man-hours' labor in some 4-5 months....meaning if we so choose (and have so chosen for the past three years), we can "vacation" each year for 5-6 months.

So: is having limited bandwidth too much of a negative that it outweighs all those positives? You tell me.

You poor, poor people.

Good for you buddy - coming on a thread to tell everyone how much better you have it than they do. :claps politely:
 
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Did you take into consideration in your math that the $80k+ model S will last likely 5 - 6 years with your long commute?

How do you figure that? My 12 year old Infiniti QX56 sits next to my 2016 Tesla 70D. The Infiniti has 240,000 miles and runs as strong as the day I got it new. It looks brand new because when it gets a scratch I have it painted. I've replaced the shocks twice - it handles like brand new. Next year the front seats will be reupholstered. I don't plan to get rid of it until it has half a million miles - if ever. It has been far, far cheaper to keep it - fully depreciated and paid for - than to trade it in for any newer SUV. Even if the transmission and engine go out tomorrow it will be much cheaper to replace/rebuild them than to buy a newer one.

If you maintain machines properly they go a very long time.
 
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I am an avid reader. Right now the only time out of my day I can dedicate to reading is the time I spend on public transit. I wish I could read more, but how?!!! ;)
(audio books in the Tesla!!!)
Just a reminder that current Tesla driver assistance does not allow reading. I don't think most people need that reminder, but just in case at least one person does, it's important we're clear on this.
 
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How do you figure that? My 12 year old Infiniti QX56 sits next to my 2016 Tesla 70D. The Infiniti has 240,000 miles and runs as strong as the day I got it new. It looks brand new because when it gets a scratch I have it painted. I've replaced the shocks twice - it handles like brand new. Next year the front seats will be reupholstered. I don't plan to get rid of it until it has half a million miles - if ever. It has been far, far cheaper to keep it - fully depreciated and paid for - than to trade it in for any newer SUV. Even if the transmission and engine go out tomorrow it will be much cheaper to replace/rebuild them than to buy a newer one.

If you maintain machines properly they go a very long time.
I assumed 25k miles a year.. 150k miles total which is still high in today's standards.

Based on my reading the model s is not super reliable I doubt it will last anywhere close to your Infiniti. With expensive repairs I also assumed that the car would not be not good to keep out of warranty. I assume resale value in the teens after 6 years / 150k miles...

..but I could very well be mistaken. Hopefully I am.
 
You people are crazy.

I did this--not for a Tesla, but to move away from renting and into owning a garage. I was able to buy my first EV (a Leaf) as a result, and on top of that I have 3x the size of living space for the same cost.

My commute is only 15 minutes or so each way (9 miles) and I only had to move some five miles out of the city to get this deal. The neighborhood isn't bad either.

Do you have to go so far from the city to pull this off?
 
Do you have to go so far from the city to pull this off?

Heh. Yes!
Toronto is urban sprawl on a scale as big as any in the states. We have the busiest highway in the WORLD (the 401). I can drive east or west of downtown for one hour and never see a farmer's field. North of the city is still undeveloped (sort of). A million bucks is the average house price in Toronto, a million bucks! A million dollars gets you a "real" million dollar home out in the country.

Property values in Toronto appreciated something like 20% in the past year alone.

I entered the RE market in Toronto with 50k cash back in 2007. My house is worth almost a million bucks right now and I have loads of equity. This is a position that I did not ever foresee when I was in my 20s (I'm 37). I have a good job, but I'm not rich by any stretch. My house is an 1100 square foot bungalow, to put things into perspective. The RE market is at frothy-frenzy territory right now, just seems prudent to cash out. One can argue that a Model S is super spendy for someone in my earning bracket, and that may be true. I may wait for the Model 3, but that means waiting - and I'm a little bearish on Canadian RE at this point. This opportunity could melt away with the housing market if we take a tumble. (according to our housing valuations, every home owner in this city is a millionaire - really?!? I know it doesn't work that way, just illustrating how absurd I think this all is)

In regards to reliability - doesn't the Model S come with an 8 year, unlimited mileage warranty? In Canadian bucks, a 75D with most of the goodies comes out, after tax, to about 140k CAD (which is 106 USD - ouch!). 140/8 = 17.5.

I'de pay for it outright, in cash. But essentially, it would cost me 17.5k per year for 8 years, and I'm optimistic that the car will last much longer than that but I prefer to be conservative with my math. I calculated gas and maintenance on an economy ICE car and it's somewhere in the neighbourhood of 5k a year, that doesn't factor the cost of the car. It also doesn't account for safety, or comfort, or my environmental footprint. I guess I'm saying that there is a case to be made that these things have value.

There's also a part of me that wants to set an example - I still hear it all the time "electric cars just aren't feasible". I think Elon Musk's vision for the future is the best one we have to work towards right now, so I'de like to help push that agenda along. One more Tesla on the road is good for Tesla and it's good for Elon's agenda, which I support.

At some point we have to put our self interest ($$$) aside and make some sacrifices ($$$) if we want a better world for the next generation. I think spending more than is reasonable on an environmentally friendly car isn't a bad way to go about it. Yes, self-interest is still a factor! I think the Model S is the nicest car a person can buy right now (Model X too, but I don't really like SUVs), so of course my ego is super excited about driving such a wonderful machine :)

But really, financing an off-lease CPO BMW would be way more financially reasonable and not that much worse in terms of driving pleasure. Still an option, but there is an environmental toll that I am not willing to pay. The only way I'm driving over a 100 miles a day is if I'm doing it in a clean car. Hell, the only way I'm buying a brand new car is if it has "new" technology. I drive an E46 BMW and so far, there's nothing out there that's motivating me to part with boatloads of money on a new car - they haven't changed much since my little 3 series. Truth be told I've driven a lot of the new cars and they are disappointing from a drivers POV. The E90 as an example, I think was a step back from the E46 in terms of driving dynamics, but that's just me and I've spent plenty of time driving both cars. My other car is a 1995 Mercedes station wagon which is a TANK. I like stuff that's built to last and clearly, I don't make all of my decisions solely on the monetary outcome.

People have all sorts of preferences. There are many, probably most, that prefer city life over rural life. That's ok, it's been really good for my property value. But it's not good for my sanity. City life demands a thick skin - this is a euphemism for "be a jerk". People don't realize they're being jerks of course because the threshold is so low. I challenge any of you reading this to take the subway in Toronto during rush hour - but be polite about it, give people room - you won't even get on the train. It's this wearing away of "common values" that is most tortuous for me about city life. I feel like I am constantly lowering my expectations of people, and in turn, of myself. I am a nice person, I like to treat people kindly - that's hard to do in the city, all the time. You have to cut people off in traffic if you're going to merge, you have to push to get on the subway, I have to challenge people in the McDonalds line up some mornings because they simply step in front of the line! (other people of course, don't speak up, I'm THAT guy).

My house is on the subway line, which means I'm "in the city". I can trade the *"convenience" of the subway line for a long drive in a nice car and a house twice the size and a lot the size of my residential block. *Convenience seems like a poor reason NOT to go ahead. The biggest argument against this plan is the monetary argument. The Model S is an expensive car and without selling my house, I wouldn't be able to afford one. That's a little crazy, but I've taken other crazy gambits in my life that have all worked out. Any fan of Tesla's can surely appreciate the concept of going out on a limb for a better future.

* In this case, "convenience" means jostling and being jostled, just to get on a train, where you get to enjoy being packed like a sardine with other commuters - some of which have poor hygiene, many of which have poor manners and most of which appear to be truly unhappy about riding the subway. Let's not even get into transit shenanigans like "medical emergencies" (people commit suicide by jumping under the train, very common on our subways) and "signalling issues" that can cause extensive and uncomfortable delays. Or I could drive for an hour. In a Model S. Listening to audiobooks (I know I can't read behind the wheel!)

Anyway.
Thank you all for the thoughtful replies. This has been really helpful and no, I'm not totally sold on this idea yet - so my eyes, ears and mind remain open.
 
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Not to sprinkle on your promenade too much, but the environmental footprint of your bigger place out in the country is likely to be much
more negatively "green" than any benefit you get from a greener car. Not only will the day-to-day resource consumption be higher, but
there's also the huge "environmental opportunity cost" of developing land for housing. Even if you buy an already-developed property
you're still contributing to the demand for development. Sardine-y or not, high-density living is generally more eco-friendly.
 
Not to sprinkle on your promenade too much, but the environmental footprint of your bigger place out in the country is likely to be much
more negatively "green" than any benefit you get from a greener car. Not only will the day-to-day resource consumption be higher, but
there's also the huge "environmental opportunity cost" of developing land for housing. Even if you buy an already-developed property
you're still contributing to the demand for development. Sardine-y or not, high-density living is generally more eco-friendly.

I take your point and it is valid.
Solar panels are in my future. My current house is oriented all wrong for panels and the neighbourhood is full of big old trees - a Toronto trademark (and lovely too, wouldn't cut them down). Any house I'm buying in the country will either already have a solar installation (two properties I've looked at already have this) or it will be oriented in a way to make rooftop or "out in the field" solar a good option.

Furthermore, I've been riding the transit system daily in this city since I was 13 years old (really). I've done my part :)
I do drive to work on occasion, when I need to take a "vacation from transit" and I find driving a lot more enjoyable than transit. It takes the same time, 30 to 40 minutes one way. I'm only ten KM from work (or about 6 miles). One main upside to riding transit however is that I get to read. Enter audiobooks in a car. (people may notice the staggering difference in commute distances and times here, the math doesn't add up? It does. Right now I commute through very heavily populated areas, all city driving - commuting in by highway is way more 'efficient' in that regard).

Lastly, my partner and I are avid gardeners. I'm not talking flowers either (although we do that too), I'm talking straight up food we eat. My lot right now is 30 by 100 feet and covered in trees (and a house and driveway). We produce a lot of tomatoes, peppers and leafy greens throughout the months of May, June, July, August and September - you would be surprised - and this with both of us working day jobs. It actually has quite a positive effect on our grocery expenses, not to mention our well being. The most expensive stuff at the grocery store is good old fashioned fresh produce. Walking outside and picking a salad provides fulfillment that buying your food simply cannot. So my environmental footprint is shrunk because of the fact that I don't buy anything imported and for almost half the year, much of the produce we consume has no carbon footprint at all. More property = more food.

If we go ahead with this idea, she will be doing this stuff full time and not working. Kids, house, food. We want chickens, too. My job is paying for it all.
 
Unless you work in Chicago... ;)
I knew a couple of people who lived east of downtown. They were usually only 50 feet or so east and
Oh, you poor, poor people.

Our daily commute is anywhere from 5 feet to 200 feet. BUT with that we also get to walk between 5 and 8 miles each and every day in our work. And that's 7 days a week.

And live in one of the world's most jaw-dropping scenic locations. &c &c &c

And put in a year's-worth of man-hours' labor in some 4-5 months....meaning if we so choose (and have so chosen for the past three years), we can "vacation" each year for 5-6 months.

So: is having limited bandwidth too much of a negative that it outweighs all those positives? You tell me.

You poor, poor people.

I agree with you. I have a coworker in Anchorage who BIKES to work year round. He sends me pictures and complains when there's less than 100" of snow to ski on... More days that not, I would rather be in his shoes. :)
 
I'm two weeks in to the commute with with AP, and it really is a marked difference in level of fatigue. It was hard to appreciate given that I've been doing this type of a commute for over 5 years, and I actually like to drive - so it never bothered me much. That said, going back to something without AP would be very, very difficult. To call it a "game changer" really under-appreciates just how much driver fatigue it avoids.
MB
+1 to this. AP makes all the difference. It gets a lot of bad rap recently, but when handled with due understanding of its strengths and weaknesses, it makes long drives a breeze. There's a good reason it's rated as the best ADAS system out there. The mental fatigue factor for me is markedly reduced to a level comparable to say, a 20 mile commute. The physical soreness I can't get around, but I have intermediate workplace and supercharger stops to help me stretch .